Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001202
Apply for DE FOA 0001202
- The National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Opportunities to Develop High Performance, Economically Viable, and Environmentally Benign Technologies to Recover Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from Domestic Coal and Coal Byproducts" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089 Fossil Energy Research and Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 21, 2015 and posted on Jun 26, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $20,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
- See Section III.A of the FOA for specific eligibility information.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
This Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001202) focuses on accelerating practical ways to recover mixed rare earth elements (REEs) from domestic U.S. coal and coal-related materials. NETL points to prior and ongoing federal characterization work showing that REEs can be present across a range of coal sources and byproducts, sometimes up to about 1,000 parts per million (ppm) total REEs by weight. The opportunity is framed around turning those findings into real, working extraction and concentration technologies that are both economically viable and environmentally benign, with an emphasis on moving quickly from concepts to bench-scale and pilot-scale demonstrations.
The technical motivation behind the program is that REEs appear in many coal-associated materials beyond the coal itself, including mine roof and floor materials, run-of-mine coal, prepared coal, partings, pit cleanings, coal preparation refuse, and tailings. REEs are also found in coal byproducts and waste streams such as ash, coal-related sludge, and mine drainage or other aqueous effluents. NETL highlights an important potential advantage of some coal resources: certain coals may contain a higher proportion of heavy REEs (often more valuable) relative to light REEs compared with traditional REE ores. At the same time, the agency is explicit about the central challenge: concentrations in these feedstocks can be low, which means any separation process may produce relatively small amounts of REE concentrate, so cost control and process efficiency become the make-or-break issues.
The FOA seeks projects that develop and demonstrate separation, extraction, and concentration approaches suitable for coal and coal byproducts. NETL notes that both physical and chemical separations may be useful, and that the specific forms in which REEs occur in these materials (how they are bound or distributed in mineral/organic phases, or present in aqueous streams) will strongly influence process design. In other words, applicants are expected to tailor their approaches to real feedstock characteristics rather than rely on generic ore-processing assumptions, and to show credible pathways to concentrate mixed REEs from complex, variable coal-derived matrices.
The funding is organized into two Areas of Interest that correspond to different development scales and feedstock types. Area of Interest 1 supports bench-scale technologies to economically separate, extract, and concentrate mixed REEs from coal and coal byproducts, including aqueous effluents (such as mine drainage). Area of Interest 2 supports pilot-scale technologies to economically separate, extract, and concentrate mixed REEs specifically from coal and coal byproduct solids. Taken together, the structure signals a push for near-term, testable systems that can handle both solid wastes (like ash or refuse) and liquid streams, progressing from lab/bench validation toward larger pilot operation where engineering, operability, and costs can be better proven.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary energy research and development opportunity issued by NETL under CFDA 81.089 (Fossil Energy Research and Development). Awards are planned as cooperative agreements, which typically implies substantial federal involvement in project direction, milestones, or technical collaboration during execution. The program anticipated about 15 awards with an estimated total funding of $20 million. Individual awards were expected to range from $400,000 (floor) to $1,000,000 (ceiling), and the FOA requires cost sharing or matching by recipients. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to the specific requirements and clarifications in Section III.A of the full announcement.
Key dates listed for the opportunity indicate it was posted June 26, 2015, with an original and current closing date of August 31, 2015, and an archive date of December 1, 2015. The FOA directs applicants to background resources where NETL has posted public characterization results and reports, and also references the U.S. Geological Survey and State Geological Surveys as additional sources for information on REE occurrence and concentrations in coal-related materials. For access issues with the full announcement, the listed point of contact is Contract Specialist Nicholas J. Anderson (412-386-5266, nicholas.anderson@netl.doe.gov), with additional announcement access via FedConnect.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - DOE NETL Funding Opportunity DE-FOA-0001202
What is DE-FOA-0001202 about?
DE-FOA-0001202 is a Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) funding opportunity focused on accelerating practical methods to recover mixed rare earth elements (REEs) from domestic U.S. coal and coal-related materials. The emphasis is on moving from concepts to bench-scale and pilot-scale demonstrations that are economically viable and environmentally benign.
Which DOE office is running this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
What is the main goal of the funding opportunity?
The main goal is to develop and demonstrate real, working separation, extraction, and concentration technologies that can recover mixed REEs from coal and coal-related feedstocks, accounting for the complex and variable nature of those materials while keeping costs and process efficiency central.
Why is NETL interested in coal and coal-related materials for rare earth elements?
NETL cites prior and ongoing federal characterization work showing that REEs can be present across a range of coal sources and byproducts, sometimes up to about 1,000 parts per million (ppm) total REEs by weight. NETL frames the opportunity around turning these characterization findings into practical extraction and concentration technologies.
What kinds of coal-related materials are considered potential feedstocks?
The opportunity references a wide range of coal-associated materials, including mine roof and floor materials, run-of-mine coal, prepared coal, partings, pit cleanings, coal preparation refuse, and tailings. It also includes coal byproducts and waste streams such as ash, coal-related sludge, and mine drainage or other aqueous effluents.
Does the FOA include both solid and liquid (aqueous) feedstocks?
Yes. NETL explicitly discusses coal and coal byproduct solids (such as ash or refuse) as well as aqueous effluents such as mine drainage and other liquid streams.
What is meant by "mixed rare earth elements" in this opportunity?
Based on the information provided, the FOA is aimed at concentrating mixed REEs from coal-derived matrices rather than isolating a single rare earth element. The focus is on technologies that can produce an REE concentrate from complex feedstocks.
Are heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) specifically mentioned?
Yes. NETL notes a potential advantage of some coal resources: certain coals may contain a higher proportion of heavy REEs (often more valuable) relative to light REEs when compared with traditional REE ores.
What is a central technical challenge highlighted in the FOA?
NETL highlights that REE concentrations in coal-associated feedstocks can be low. As a result, separation processes may produce relatively small amounts of REE concentrate, making cost control and process efficiency critical.
What types of recovery approaches does NETL expect applicants to consider?
NETL indicates that both physical and chemical separation approaches may be useful for recovering REEs from coal and coal byproducts.
How important are the specific forms and distributions of REEs in the feedstock?
They are described as highly important. NETL notes that the way REEs occur in coal-related materials (for example, how they are bound or distributed in mineral or organic phases, or present in aqueous streams) will strongly influence process design. Applicants are expected to tailor approaches to real feedstock characteristics rather than rely on generic ore-processing assumptions.
What development scales are supported under this FOA?
The FOA is organized to support both bench-scale and pilot-scale technology development and demonstration.
What are the Areas of Interest (AOIs) in this FOA?
There are two Areas of Interest. Area of Interest 1 supports bench-scale technologies to economically separate, extract, and concentrate mixed REEs from coal and coal byproducts, including aqueous effluents such as mine drainage. Area of Interest 2 supports pilot-scale technologies to economically separate, extract, and concentrate mixed REEs specifically from coal and coal byproduct solids.
What is the difference between Area of Interest 1 and Area of Interest 2?
Area of Interest 1 is bench-scale and includes coal, coal byproducts, and aqueous effluents. Area of Interest 2 is pilot-scale and focuses specifically on coal and coal byproduct solids.
Does the FOA emphasize moving quickly toward demonstrations?
Yes. NETL emphasizes moving quickly from concepts to bench-scale and pilot-scale demonstrations, signaling a push for near-term, testable systems.
What type of award instrument is planned?
Awards are planned as cooperative agreements.
What does it mean that awards are cooperative agreements?
As described in the provided information, cooperative agreements typically imply substantial federal involvement in project direction, milestones, or technical collaboration during project execution.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued under CFDA 81.089, Fossil Energy Research and Development.
How many awards and how much total funding were anticipated?
The program anticipated about 15 awards with an estimated total funding of $20 million.
What is the expected funding range per award?
Individual awards were expected to range from $400,000 (minimum) to $1,000,000 (maximum).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The FOA requires cost sharing or matching by recipients.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to the specific requirements and clarifications in Section III.A of the full announcement.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The FOA was posted on June 26, 2015. The original and current closing date listed is August 31, 2015.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date listed is December 1, 2015.
Where can applicants find background information on REE occurrence in coal-related materials?
The FOA directs applicants to background resources where NETL has posted public characterization results and reports. It also references the U.S. Geological Survey and State Geological Surveys as additional sources for information on REE occurrence and concentrations in coal-related materials.
What is the main emphasis regarding environmental performance?
The FOA emphasizes developing extraction and concentration technologies that are environmentally benign, alongside being economically viable.
Where does NETL indicate REEs can be found besides raw coal?
NETL indicates REEs can be found in many coal-associated materials and byproducts, including refuse, tailings, ash, sludge, and aqueous effluents such as mine drainage.
Who is the listed point of contact for access issues with the full announcement?
The listed point of contact is Contract Specialist Nicholas J. Anderson. The contact information provided is 412-386-5266 and nicholas.anderson@netl.doe.gov.
Is FedConnect mentioned for accessing the announcement?
Yes. The information provided notes additional announcement access via FedConnect.
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Energy
Next opportunity: Improving Operational Decision Making
Previous opportunity: BLM OR WA SUSTAINABLE RANGELANDS ROUNDTABLE (for WASHINGTON DC)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for DE FOA 0001202
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DE FOA 0001202) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Notice of Intent to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement titled Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicle Powertrain Electrification and Dual Fuel Fleet Demonstration Apply for DE FOA 0001355 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001355 Agency: National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| DOE Traineeship in Power Engineering (Leveraging Wide Bandgap Power Electronics) Apply for DE FOA 0001378 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001378 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Notice of Intent No. DE FOA 0001391 Deployment of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects on Indian Lands Apply for DE FOA 0001391 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001391 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY2016 Scientific Infrastructure Support for CINR Funding Opportunity Announcement Apply for DE FOA 0001282 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001282 Agency: Idaho Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Request for Information Building Envelope Infiltration Diagnostic Technologies Apply for DE FOA 0001394 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001394 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Photovoltaics Research and Development (PVRD) Notice of Intent (NOI) Apply for DE FOA 0001379 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001379 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| Bioenergy Technologies Incubator 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement Apply for DE FOA 0001320 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001320 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Solar Decathlon Program Administrator Apply for DE FOA 0001371 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001371 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| Solutions to Improve the Energy Efficiency of U.S. Small and Medium Commercial Buildings Apply for DE FOA 0001389 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001389 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Deployment of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects on Indian Lands 2015 Apply for DE FOA 0001390 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001390 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Defining and Recovering Utah Coal Energy Resoures Apply for UT RFA 08 0003 Funding Number: UT RFA 08 0003 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Energy Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Public Private Alliances Related to Methane to Markets Partnership Apply for M OAA GRO EGAS 07 063 MTM Funding Number: M OAA GRO EGAS 07 063 MTM Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| US China Clean Energy Partnership Apply for USAID RDMA CHINA 486 08 008 RFA Funding Number: USAID RDMA CHINA 486 08 008 RFA Agency: Thailand USAID Bangkok Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Biomass Research and Development Initiative Apply for DE PS36 09GO99016 Funding Number: DE PS36 09GO99016 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Industrial Assessment Centers Technical Field Manager Apply for DE PS36 09GO99011 Funding Number: DE PS36 09GO99011 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $4,500,000 |
| Request for Information Hydrogen Market Transformation Apply for DE PS36 09GO39003 RFI Funding Number: DE PS36 09GO39003 RFI Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Industrial Technologies Program Save Energy Now Technical Assistance and Plant Assessment Program Apply for DE PS36 09GO99015 Funding Number: DE PS36 09GO99015 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $50,000,000 |
| Request for Information Apply for DE PS36 09GO39008 Funding Number: DE PS36 09GO39008 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| 20 Wind by 2030 Overcoming the Challenges Apply for DE PS36 09GO99009 Funding Number: DE PS36 09GO99009 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Enhanced Geothermal Systems Component Research and Development/Analysis Apply for DE PS36 09GO99018 Funding Number: DE PS36 09GO99018 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DE FOA 0001202", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.